Mycoplasma Pneumonia

walking pneumonia

Mycoplasma Pneumonia

What is Mycoplasma Pneumonia?

It is the type of pneumonia that is caused by a bacterium called mycoplasma pneumonia. Like the other types of pneumonia, it is an infection visible in the lungs. It is contagious and affects people who are under 40 years of age. Individuals who are in collectivity are often prone to this type of atypical pnuemonia.

15-50% of all known pneumonia infection has been attributed to the infection of the mycoplasma pnemonia bacterium. This is often visible among school going adolescents and adults under 40 years of age.

Symptoms

The very common symptoms of mycoplasma pneumonia include pain in the chest, elevated temperatures, chills, dry cough, sweating and sore throat.

Infrequent symptoms constitute pain in the eye and the ear, skin rashes increased rate of breathing, lumps in the neck and aching muscles.

Detection Techniques

Your doctor can examine you physically and diagnose this disease. However, pneumonia and acute bronchitis are similar and hence there is always an ambiguity. Chest x-ray can correctly identify mycoplama pneumonia with ease.

However, if the infection is acute, further to the diagnosis, bronchoscopy, blood count test, sputum culture and open biopsy of the lungs might be necessary too. Test of your urine sample and a throat swab test might also be recommended depending on the severity of your illness.

If ever you suffer from fever, shortness of breath, continuous cough and fatigue, it is advisable to get yourself tested.

If you have very low body immunity or if you had been on medication due to prolonged illness or if you are under chemotherapy or if you have been infected with HIV, you might be more prone to this disease.

Treatment Options

Mycoplasma pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics. This had proved to be the quickest way of treating this type of pneumonia. However, home remedies can also help you get rid of the infection.

Drinking a lot of liquids, having a protein rich diet and taking excessive rest are the best and the most effective home remedial measures that can help you get out of the infection within the earliest possible timeframe.

If left untreated, the cough and the body weakness can persist for even a month of time.

Known Complications

If you get infected with mycoplasma pneumonia, further to this infection, you might contract any of the following health complications.

The known health complications constitute hemolytic anemia, rashes on the skin, infection of the ear and acute pneumonia.